South Mintle and West 19th get rejuvenated

AIRWAY HEIGHTS – The South Mintle Street and West 19th Avenue block in Airway Heights is a bit cleaner after a neighborhood cleanup day organized by city code compliance officer Kristina Blake and the God Squad on July 2.

Blake saw that the area needed a lot of cleaning, and residents would struggle to be able to afford the dumpsters they needed to tidy up.

"This is the hardest-hit street in the mobile home parks," Blake said. "We are really trying to bring in resources to help people in here, because they're low-income and these dumpsters are $1,000 ... we're trying to help their quality of life. They've got a really strong sense of community on this street."

She knew she could provide the dumpsters through some grant money from the Landfill Grant Act, but also knew she'd need a team of volunteers to help transport items to the dump and assist residents with disposal of garbage. Enter the God Squad.

"God Squad is the only outreach community that reached out and said 'we'll help,'" Blake said. "They really provide a lot."

Chris Bovey and his wife Liz founded God Squad in 2015 as a non-denominational volunteer program after a stint as youth leaders at Airway Heights Baptist Church. Predominantly, God Squad does clean-ups, lawn mowing and care of the elderly.

"We didn't see churches necessarily getting out in the community and helping others and being the hands and feet," Bovey said. "We decided we were going to come out, help the community giving glory to (God)."

Blake reached out to God Squad asking for help on Mintle Street. God Squad agreed to participate, and a team of largely students along with the Boveys helped mow lawns and load dumpsters. Chris Bovey said the youth volunteers were connections from Airway Heights Baptist Church.

Fourteen-year-old Jaymisen Christensen took part in the cleanup. It was his third cleanup project with God Squad.

"I wanted to do it because I like helping people," Christensen said.

Vicki Schade recently bought a trailer on Mintle Street. She said she wouldn't have been able to get trash in a dumpster without the help of Blake and the God Squad, who all helped her load.

"She's been a godsend," Schade said of Blake.

Drew Lawson can be reached at drew@cheneyfreepress.com.